The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Electroactive soft actuators, inspired by biological organisms, hold a significant promise for revolutionizing robotics by replacing conventional motors. However, their practical application has been typically restricted by a critical trade-off: limited performance and strict operating conditions have prevented the development of small, lightweight, and truly portable robots. This talk introduces a new class of electrified hydrogel actuator that overcomes these limitations. A hydrogel-layered electroosmosis actuator capable of unprecedented performance at low voltage and power is presented. This breakthrough is enabled by the capillary-assisted in situ assembly of metal nanoparticles, forming an ultrathin, porous metallic layer on the hydrogel surface. By integrating these actuators with a microcontroller and a small battery, we demonstrate the small and fast untethered aquatic soft robots that can pave the way for a new generation of autonomous soft robotics.